Waiting
by LoneCard
Summary: Neji's waiting outside. How long could it take? As long as she's okay, that was really all that mattered. On hiatus until further notice.
1. The baby

Twenty-nine-year-old Neji paced back and forth outside the operating room. How long was this going to take? It's been five hours already!

To calm his nerves, he walked to a vending machine. Hoping he had enough change, he searched through his pockets. The Crunch bar he wanted: $0.75. He dug deep into every pocked he had. _Nickel, dime, another dime…Score! A quarter! Just one more and…yes!_

Sliding the coins into the machine, he punched in the numbers that indicated the chocolate bar he so desperately needed at that moment. For once, he was able to calm him self down enough to sit in one of the plastic red seats in the hallway outside the operating room. He fiddled with the wrapper, looking around. He didn't expect too many people would be walking around at three in the morning, but still.

He bit down on the chocolate treat, letting the taste blind him to all other emotions. However, all too soon the Crunch bar was gone, and Neji was left alone with his thoughts.

He looked down at his hand and played with his wedding band, spinning it around his finger until that, too, did nothing to calm him. He stood, sighed, and continued to pace back and forth. He thought back to when he found out all this was going to happen. How soon it had hit him. She was at home in the Hyuga manor. Neji and Rock-Lee were on a mission. It changed his life, that one call.

Neji and Lee were talking about the mission they had just completed. The sun was setting, and the two boys were eager to get back to their respective homes. Just as Lee was say what he was planning to do tomorrow with Gai-sensei, Neji's cell phone rang. It was his wife calling. 

_"Hi, Honey!" She sounded even peppier than normal._

_"Hey, dear. Lee and I are on our way back home now."_

_"I have good news! I wanted to wait until you got home, but I couldn't!"_

_"What is it?" Neji smirked. Had she gotten some skimpy leather outfit to impress him? She knew he just loved the sort of thing. He almost though about her getting a whip, but he knew that was pushing it._

_"We're PREGNANT!" _

_Neji's smirk turned into the widest smile in human history._

_"YAAH-HOOO! I'M GONNA BE A DADDY!"_

Neji though back to that moment. He had felt like he was on top of the world. He was going to be someone's dad.

But now…he kept pacing. What if something went wrong? What if the baby didn't make it? What if _she_ didn't make it? He couldn't think of his life without his wife by his side. He knew that her death would kill him. Not physically, but on the inside. If she died, he would just take a knife and-

No! She was going to make it. He just knew it. He loved her too much for her to die. He continued to pace back and forth. He lost all sense of time until-

"Mr. Hyuga?" A nurse walked out of the operating room. "It was a success."

Neji breathed a sigh of relief. "Can I see her now?"

"Yes, but be quiet. She needs her rest." The nurse smiled at him. "You know, your child really does take after you."

Neji walked past the nurse into the operating room. It was cold and the walls were painted blue. In the middle of the whole mess was Tenten. She was sleeping soundly, with a little baby next to her. Even with out seeing, Neji could tell the baby had the Byakugan.

He looked down at the little baby, at the small life he'd helped create. He looked over at his wife. Her trademark buns were sagging slightly, and were on the verge of becoming undone. She stirred slightly.

"Neji?" She said, her voice just barely above a whisper. "Neji, honey?"

"It's me," He replied, gently taking hold of her hand. "How are you?"

She yawned. "I've been worse," She smiled. "Look at her," She lifted her head up a little to have a better look at her new daughter. "Isn't she precious?"

"Yes, she is." Neji gently kissed the top of the newborn's head. "Hey, there," He said jokingly. "I'm your daddy. You see that pretty lady? The prettiest one in the whole world? That's your mommy."

"Stop it," She said. "That line is so old."

"But, it's the truth." He gave her hand a soft squeeze. "You know I never settle for less than best."

"That's true. Now, let me sleep. Say good night to daddy, Hana."

"Neji let the new mother sleep. He knew they had a long way to go, but for now, he let the two prettiest girls in his life rest.


	2. Home

Hi, everyone! I really just started this as a little oneshot to get over my writer's block, but a few people reviewed (thanks to you all, by the way!) and wanted me to keep it going, so here it is! Enjoy!

Five weeks later, and the couple were taking the new baby, Hana Hyuga, to her new home. Tenten was sleeping soundly in the front passenger's seat of the navy Mercedes, still worn out from the whole ordeal. The baby was in the back in a lavender booster seat that matched her eyes quite nicely. The drive from the hospital was a long one, and Neji, genius that he was, quickly got bored looking up ahead at the highway scenery, which was mostly shadow cast by the setting sun.

He adjusted the rear-view mirror and glanced at his daughter. She was playing with her feet in that adorable way babies do, cooing slightly as she did so. Neji smiled to himself. He didn't think that someone could be as breath taking as his wife, but he had to admit, the tiny thing did come pretty close. He chuckled as Hana somehow managed to stick her foot in her mouth.

"Hm?" Tenten stirred slightly. She had taken her hair out of its classic hairstyle, which was still a little wavy from being tied up for so long. "Are we home yet?" She was still a little sleepy, and Neji was a more than a bit upset with himself for waking her up.

"No, Cookie-Chan," He said, using his pet name for her. It held no real meaning, but it still seemed to fit her. "Go back to sleep, we still have half an hour to go."

"Naw," She stretched, raising her arms as far as the car ceiling would let her. "I'm okay for now." She turned around in her seat. "Hey, little Hana," She greeted, her voice bordering on baby talk. "How's my little sweetie?"

"I'm fine, thank," Neji answered jokingly. "How 'bout you?"

"Baka!" She laughed, a sound Neji still treasured, even after all the years he and Tenten had been together. "I meant the baby, Gee-Gee-Chan!" Her own pet name for him had more obvious origins, but was still just as cutesy.

"I know, Cookie-Chan," He took an exit off the highway and headed to Konoha, and home.

"Gee-Gee-Chan, you told Hinata-Chan to get the crib ready for Hana, right?"

"Yes, Cookie-Chan. And," He held up a finger before she could say anything more. "Yes, I did tell her to send her boyfriend out so he doesn't scare the baby."

"Good. Kiba-kun's fun and all, but the little thing's just a month old."

"Cookie-Chan, one day, she'll grow up, and you won't be able to be so protective."

"Yes, that'll be you when she tries to go out on a date."

"That won't happen for years."

She kissed him on the cheek. "I'm sure it won't."

Gravel crunched under the tires when they drove up the driveway of the Hyuga mansion. Hinata was standing outside the front door, a little puppy in her arm. Kiba had given her the puppy as a little anniversary gift. He hadn't popped the question yet, but it was due to happen soon.

"Hi, guys," Hinata said. "Is she-?"

"Nope, she's still awake." Tenten made to grab the boostet seat out of the back seat. However, Neji grabbed it before she did.

"Cookie-Chan, you need to take it easy." He breezed past Hinata into the mansion. Hinata, who still felt a little scared around Neji, waited until his foot steps faded inside the large household.

"Tenten-Chan, how you feel?"

"I'm tired."

"Of course, but…I mean... a-aren't you a-a little nervous?" Hinata thought the peppy girl would miss the nightclubs and late night dinner dates with just her and Neji.

"Nope! I think Neji might be, but I really just wanna sleep." She walked to the front door, stifling a yawn. "Tell him that I went to bed."

"O-Okay."

Tenten knew that they had a very long journey ahead of them, her and her husband, but for now, it was time to surprise Neji with a little leather something…

Thanks for reading! I wrote this when I was really tired (Damn you, coffee! You taste so sweet, yet I can no longer sleep! God, I wish I could afford decaf…); so cut me some slack if it's not so good. I'm not sure if I should keep this going, so, as always, read and review! Just don't be _too _mean….


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